Well, ain't this a female dog. Another American automotive brand took a permanent L yesterday as Ford announced it was shutting down one of its oldest nameplates, Mercury. While we can't say we didn't see this coming, we still hate to hear when entire companies go down. But, seriously, in the grand scheme of things, this isn't all that crazy. Back when the whole gasoline-powered coach idea was as new as tablet computers, tons of companies tried to cash in on the market. Unfortunately a lot of them failed, some lasting just for one or two years; others reigned supreme for decades before having to dim their lights. We think it's a good time to go back and take a look at some of those brands. We're not gonna make you click through each and every brand that failed, but instead focus on the most important of America's dead automotive brands. Pour out a little motor oil for those that couldn't be here today...